Harvey slugged back his third glass of scotch and angrily slammed the the glass on the bar. The woman he'd been flirting with flinched suddenly and Harvey found himself thinking of a certain blond-haired blue-eyed individual.

Mike's face had looked crestfallen at Harvey's mere appearance, and Harvey had had to force the steely guise before he forgot his intentions and pulled Mike out by his ugly skinny tie.

But Mike had had tears in his eyes as Harvey's forced words had been uttered. He hadn't wanted to say them, truthfully, but he knew they were the right decision. He had to remain professional.

"Harvey?" His female companion asked in moderate concern.

He shook his head at her. "Sorry." Mike kept popping up in his brain, distracting him. He couldn't stop himself from wondering, if he'd kissed Mike back, would it have been so bad?

He wasn't attracted to him, though. At least, he shouldn't be. They were co-workers, and Harvey was in a position of power over Mike. That wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be professional.

But this definitely didn't feel right, either. It hadn't felt right when Louis had offered Mike his place, instead of Harvey offering, and it hadn't felt right when Mike had chosen Louis's work over Harvey's. It had felt gut-wrenchingly miserable when Mike had started sniffling in his office and stormed out, and it had felt like Hell when Harvey had yelled at him a few hours ago and taken one good look at Mike's face.

What was he even doing here? He couldn't remember how he'd gotten here. Nor was he certain of how he'd ended up sitting with this girl. Now that he looked at her, she almost resembled Mike. She was tall and skinny and blonde with blue eyes. But she didn't have any of the wit or warmth of his associate.

"I have to go," he told her, much to both their surprise.

He stood, but didn't move, not entirely sure what he was doing.

She put money enough for the both of them on the bar, and before Harvey could protest, said, "It's okay. I've been around the block enough to recognize the look on your face. Go get her back." And then she walked away, leaving Harvey amazed and confused. How were women so emotionally intuitive all the time?

Harvey finally realized he didn't want an associate to show up to work tomorrow. He wanted his friend. He wanted Mike.

Suddenly remembering Donna's earlier scolding, he instantly sobered enough to hail a cab. It was time to stop being a big baby, as she'd called him, and get over himself. If Harvey Specter wanted something, he got it. And he never let anybody tell him otherwise.

...

Harvey knocked on the mahogany door of Louis's overly fancy apartment. He waited impatiently, only faintly aware that it was about one o'clock in the morning.

A rather exasperated looking Louis opened the door. "What is your problem?"

Harvey ignored his question, peering past Louis into the dark of his apartment in search of that familiar figure.

Louis stepped out angrily and pulled the door shut behind him, arms crossed. Harvey finally acknowledged the man, noticing that not only was Louis shirtless, but he was wearing blue boxer-briefs with kittens on them and a matching sleep cap. It was only a sign of how focused Harvey was on Mike that he didn't even consider laughing.

"Harvey, while you may think of yourself as our city's dark knight, the rest of humanity does require an average eight hours of sleep."

"I need to see Mike," Harvey bit out.

Louis crossed his arms with a huff. "Tch. The last two times you saw him he ended up half naked and drunk."

"I really didn't need to know that," Harvey managed.

"Yeah, you do. You made him cry-"

"Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Just leave him alone."

Harvey was surprised, and though he'd never admit it, a bit impressed, at Louis's protectiveness. "What do you care?"

"I may treat the associates badly, Harvey, but contrary to popular belief I don't make it my mission to destroy them outside of work."

Harvey hadn't made it his mission, had he? But Louis was right. He'd gone here with the purpose of rejecting Mike and reverting their relationship to what it had never really been: completely and coldly professional.

"Goodnight, Harvey," Louis said and opened his door.

Harvey caught it just before it closed. "Wait. Please."

Louis looked surprised at the sincerity of Harvey's voice, but suspicion was still plastered to his face.

"You're right, Louis. I just...I need to talk to him."

Louis seemed to consider his words carefully before relaxing the stiff set of his shoulders. "He's asleep."

"I'll wait," Harvey said firmly. And while he did, he could think on how to fix this mess.

...

When the first rays of sunlight started to peek through Louis's astonishingly unpretentious windows, Harvey heard Mike stir. He had sat outside Louis's guest bedroom for hours, running his hand through his hair and wrinkling his suit. His tie was askew, his mouth tasted like booze, and his head pounded faintly. But his resolve, amazingly enough, hadn't shaken.

He heard the water running in the sink and he felt some mysterious cocktail of emotions flood his chest. He'd been through every word he'd said to the kid the night before and he'd come up with an endless list of half-apologies. But nothing fit. As usual, Mike wasn't something he was prepared for.

Finally, the click of the lock sounded and Mike emerged, red-eyed and hunched with deep bags under his eyes and a sad tint to his pallor. He stopped in the hallway as soon as he noticed Harvey sitting there.

Harvey stood, staring intensely at Mike as the kid blinked sleepily at him. There was an awful hint of fear and hurt and loathing in his eyes as he gazed back at Harvey.

"It's not 7:30 yet," Mike said in mocking tone.

Harvey took a step forward.

"I...I don't care," Harvey began.

"Yeah, I got that part," Mike interrupted angrily.

"About what I said before." Harvey could see Mike's fantastically impossible brain trying to interpret that statement. "I care about..."

Mike leaned forwards a minute amount, and Harvey wasn't even sure he'd done it consciously, but it was enough of a good sign for him to continue with his revolutionary declaration.

"Us," Harvey finished.

Mike looked him over darkly. "Is that supposed to make everything better? I kissed you, Harvey, and I'm sorry. It was unprofessional of me. It didn't mean anything anyway."

"I don't think I'm explaining this right," Harvey muttered.

"You really don't need to. I think I heard you pretty clearly last night."

"No, you didn't. Look. I don't care about the kiss or your feelings towards me. Just, take the day off and come back tomorrow and we can pretend like nothing ever happened." Harvey pleaded silently with Mike, hoping he would accept. He didn't think Donna would work for him anytime soon if Mike was mad at him. And he could still the nightmarish ringing of the phone in his ear.

But Mike didn't look elated as Harvey had predicted. He looked offended and resigned. "Fine. I'll do your stupid work for you and I'll show up on time. I don't need the day off. I get it, Harvey."

"I don't think you do," he said.

Mike's anger flared. "Well maybe you can explain it to me, then."

Harvey was getting frustrated, and he was tired from the lack of sleep and the start of a hangover. "Look, I just want things to be normal."

"I thought you liked life here," Mike gestured a height by his head.

"Not when it comes to you."

"Fine."

"Fine?" Harvey asked.

"You win, Harvey. Just like always. I'll see you at the office. I'm sorry that I had feelings for you. In fact, I'm glad this happened. Now I know just how much of an idiot I was to fall for an emotionless egotistical dick."

Harvey frowned as Mike pushed out of Louis's apartment, his few belongings shoved haphazardly in his hands.

Harvey stood in the hallway, feeling miserable for some reason he couldn't place. He'd felt the tiniest bit of hurt when Mike implied he no longer had feelings for Harvey. Why did it bother him so much?

"Well done," Louis said from the living room.

"Shut up," Harvey said with a fierce glare and followed Mike out.

...

"I have to go and see Donna first," Mike said when they stepped outside.

Harvey wasn't sure whether he appreciated the close friendship these two had apparently developed in the last few days. It felt like they were teaming up on him. Which they probably were. "Why?"

"Because she found me an apartment. So if it's alright with you I will take you up on your earlier offer. If I can have the day off, I can sign the lease, buy some necessities, like furniture, and get settled."

"Sure. I'll ask the driver to drop you off at Donna's."

"I think I'll just take my own cab."

The distance between them was tangible. The warmth that used to exist between the two men had given way to the morning cold. Harvey was feeling oddly morose this morning.

Mike hailed a cab and without so much as a glance at Harvey, got in. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Harvey decided he needed a shower and fresh clothes. And some sleep. Pearson Hardman would have to manage without either of them for a day.